By Dan Ryan
[STATS] [AUDIOCAST] COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Daytona Beach Thunder couldn’t get their kicks Saturday night.

Two botched snaps of field goal attempts denied the Thunder six possible points. The Columbus Lions got three points on a fifth down field goal. And then the Lions escaped the potential upset when Damian Daniels recovered a blocked Daytona Beach field goal attempt with 54 seconds remaining for a 46-39 victory Saturday night at AFLAC Field at the Columbus Civic Center.

Daniels also made an interception in the end zone as the Thunder drove for another tying score to force overtime.

Kicking game woes aside, Daytona Beach showed character against the World Indoor Football League’s first-place team, who spent last week winning a game by 39 while the Thunder dropped that game at Osceola by the same margin.

Columbus (5-1) blew open a 13-10 halftime lead to take a 32-16 advantage before Daytona Beach (1-5) stormed back and tied it at 39-39 on Kwasie Kwaku’s 7-yarder from Tavares Woodley with 5:20 left.

“Our kids feel the game isn’t over until the final whistle blows,’’ said Thunder coach Leon Bright. “The theme for this week was to finish strong. We tried to finish tonight.”

Kwaku gave the Thunder a chance to go ahead by registering the first interception on Columbus QB Joey Conrad this season. But the Lions defense forced a three-and-out and the long field goal attempt that backfired.

Kwaku caught six receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns as he became the first player in the WIFL this season to be named game offensive MVP from the losing team.

“There are not enough words to say about that young man,’’ Bright said. “I told Kwasie he might have to play both ways and he told me he was ready for it.. He’s one of the team leaders.”

Woodley finished with 171 yards and three touchdowns passing while running for another as he brought the Thunder back into contention. Nick Allison, in his first game back with the Thunder, had 162 return yards, including a 54-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Columbus took a 3-0 lead on a Wes Wilson field goal that came when the officials inadvertently gave the Lions an extra down. The Thunder responded and took a 7-3 lead when Woodly connected with arena football Legend Barry Wagner for a 34-yard strike. 

Jesus Cortez, who would later add a 1-point UNO, made it a 10-3 Thunder with 14:12 left in a first half that could best be described as forgettable. Columbus regained the lead into the locker room at 13-10.    

It was Daytona Beach’s first game with the Columbus since the Feb. 26 death of Javan Camon, but Bright said the team was able to put the tragedy past them in this rematch.

“We knew we couldn’t be tentative,” Bright said. “It’s just time to play football.” The Thunder hosts the Osceola Ghostriders Sunday at 3:30 p.m.